1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to storage containers for recorded media and, more particularly, to a storage container having a centrally disposed hub that engages and selectively retains an item of recorded media. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a storage container for recorded media employing a hub that releasably secures an item of recorded media such as a compact disc or DVD while substantially preventing the compact disc or DVD from experiencing bending stresses while the item of recorded media is stored in the storage container.
2. Background Information
In recent times, most recorded music is purchased by the consumer either on a cassette tape or a compact disc. Cassettes tapes and compact discs have supplanted vinyl records and 8-track tapes as the dominant forms of recorded music. Along with the growth of compact discs, numerous storage containers have been developed to hold the discs during shipping, display for sale, and subsequent home storage of the discs. A disc may spend over 99% of its life stored in one such storage container because the same storage container is typically used to ship the disc, to display the disc, and to store the disc at the home of the consumer. Most of the storage containers known in the art hold the compact disc on a hub that engages the center hole of the disc to hold the disc in place in the storage container.
Digital versatile discs (DVDs) have recently been developed and are expected to grow as more consumers are exposed to the benefits of a digital video picture combined with a digital audio track on a single DVD. DVDs also have a larger storage capacity than a compact disc and may be used to hold feature length films as well as multiple music recordings. It is likely that DVDs may also be used to hold data in computer readable forms. One problem with DVDs is that they currently trade durability for their increased storage capacity. It is believed that a DVD may be damaged over time by the forces that are commonly created in a compact disc storage container. These forces are the outwardly directed forces created by the hub that typically radially engages the interior wall that forms the center hole in a disc. Compact discs are durable enough to be insensitive to this force but it is believed that a DVD will eventually warp as a result of these constant radial forces. Such warping can prevent the data on a DVD from being correctly read by a DVD player.
In view of the perceived problems with the constant bending forces, the industry has moved in the direction of requiring all DVD storage containers to loosely retain the DVD such that it may freely rotate while securely retained by the storage container. The storage container thus must retain the DVD in a manner that allows it to freely rotate while also securely holding the DVD during a standard drop test. It is thus desired in the art to provide a storage container for a DVD that holds the DVD without creating constant bending stresses in the DVD while securely retaining the DVD to prevent it from coming loose.
Another problem with existing storage containers that allow compact discs and DVDs to be easily removed from a hub is that some of these devices create large bending forces in the discs when the disc is removed from the hub. These storage containers typically allow a person to grasp the edge of the disc at any location about its perimeter and pull upwardly causing the disc to engage the hub, compress a portion of the hub, and then pop off of the hub. Although these discs certainly allow for easy removal, the stresses experienced by the disc during the removal process are thought to be large enough to damage a DVD. It is thus desired in the art to provide a storage container for a DVD that allows the DVD to be quickly and easily removed without creating significantly large bending stresses in the DVD during the removal process.
In view of the foregoing, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that allows the item of recorded media to be easily removed from the storage container.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that is particularly suited to storing a DVD.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that securely retains the item of recorded media while not subjecting the item to constant bending stresses during storage.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that allows the item of recorded media to be easily removed from the storage container without subjecting the item to substantial bending forces.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that prevents the improper removal of the item of recorded media from the storage container.
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that allows the item of recorded media to freely rotate within the storage container while being stored in the storage container.
Still a further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that allows an item of recorded media to be removed from the storage container without damaging the media when a user grasps the edge of the media and pulls upwardly.
Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that supports the item of recorded media at its center and periphery to prevent it from experiencing stresses when it is stored.
An additional objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that securely stores the media on a centrally-disposed hub that prevent the media from falling off of the hub during the standard industry drop test.
Still an additional objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media having at least a centrally-disposed storage hub that may be formed as an integral one-piece part.
Still an additional objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that allows the item of recorded media to be removed from the storage container with a one-handed operation.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media having inner and outer supports that do not engage the information-containing area of the item of recorded media.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media having a plurality of raised bumps that solely support the item of recorded media from below to reduce friction between the storage container and the item of recorded media allowing the item of recorded media to rotate or spin with essentially no friction while in the storage position.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that includes a hub that has a portion that may be manually moved out of engagement with the item of recorded media while the item of recorded media is being removed from the storage container.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that includes a rib projecting from the back wall of the storage container that helps retain the item of recorded media in the storage container when the storage container is closed and separates a literature held in the storage container from the item of recorded media.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for recorded media that includes only a single finger access hole that is aligned with the resilient arms of the hub such that the item of recorded media may not be improperly removed from the hub.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a storage container for an item of recorded media that is of a simple construction, that achieves the stated objectives in a simple, effective, and inexpensive manner, and that solves the problems and that satisfies the needs existing in the art.
The present invention thus provides a storage container having a hub with at least three upstanding arms surrounding a fixed body. The fixed body has an upper surface disposed higher above the base than each of the arms.
The invention also provides a storage container for an item of recorded media having a hub with a fixed body and at least three arms. The fixed body includes insets that receive at least a portion of each of the arms.
The invention also provides a storage container for recorded media having a locking tab disposed on the hinge wall in combination with a hub having upstanding walls and a fixed body.